valeraxd de baktge



(No Model.)

G. Tv. M. VQDB RANGE.

1 1 BREECH LOADING ORDNANGE. 110.301,220. Patented July 1, 1884.

UNITED STATES PATENT' OFFICE.

CHARLES T. M. VALERAND DE BANGE, oF PARIS, FRANCE, AssIGNoE To so. CIETANONYME DEs ANCIENS ETABLISSEMENTS cAII., oF sai-IE PLAGE.

BRI-:EcH-LOADING oRDNANcE.

SPECIFICATION farming pmt f Irttcls Patent 301,220, date-d 'July l,183%. Application led June 12,1883. (No model.) L

.To all w'hom. it may concern.:

Be Vit known that. I, CHARLES TIMOTHE LIEN VLLRAND nn BANGE, of Paris,

in the'Repu'blic of France, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Breech- Lbadng Guns, of which the following is aspecication.

The improvements apply to breech-loading cannons which employ ascrew-plug having its threads interrupted.

I have devised asystem of packing placed in advance of the plug, andwhich is expanded bythe force of the explosion of the powder to makeatight joint/to prevent the leakage of gas. I also employ a lever whichperforms two important functions-one to aid in turning the plug, andanother as a safetyguard to insure that the breech i's reliably. closedbefore the .piece -is discharged. My system requires no special tools orapparatus for the opening and closing.

The accompanyingdrawings form a part of this specification, andrepresent what l consider the best means of carrying outthe invention.

Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section. The stronglines show theparts ready for fir-,- ing. The dotted lines show the transverse leverin a position for conveniently operating to turn the screw-plug. Fig. 2Vis a rear view showing the parts locked. Fig. 3 isa corresponding viewshowing the parts unlocked. AThe dotted lines show the breech mechanismswung around so as to leave the breech entirely open. Fig. 4is alongitudinal section showing the screw-plug partially moved toward therear. Fig. 5 isa corresponding section `partly in elevation, showing the.screw-pl ng moved far to the rear, ready to be carriedaround by turningon the hinges of the inclosing-collar.

Figs. 6 and .7 represent the packing-ring de- Fig. 6 is a face view, andFig. 7 a4 section in the plane of the axis. Fig. 8shows what I termthefturning-catch on a larger scale.

Similar lettersV indicate like parts in all the figures.' A is the rearportion of the body or barrel of the gun. B is Va screw-plug having its5o threads interrupted.

C is a door in the form of a ring or collar, larger than the bore,strongly hinged to the body A on one side, and adapted to swing openwhen required. When clos'ed, it sinks into a depression surrounding thebore at the breech.

The interior of the breech of thegun is equipped with series of partialscrew-threads alternating with longitudinal spaces, in which thescrew-threads are cut away, and allow cor- 6o responding segments ofscrew-thread on the plug to be moved inward and outward easily when'theplug is turned in the right position. By thrusting the screw-plug in asfar as may be by a direct thrust, and then giving it a partialrevolution, the screw-plug is strongly engaged with the breech of thegun. A reverse motion liherates it. D'is a lever extendingaeross in rearof the screw-plug B, y and hinged thereto by the pivot Q -in the short7o arm B'.

I employ a locking-catch turning on a center, and subject to the forceof a spring, T, which tends to turn it always in one direction.

It performs important functions. It is marked 7 5 H, certain portions.being designated, when necessary, by additional marks, as H' H2. Itturns on a center, h, fixed in the door or hinged ring G.

A liberal hole in the line of the axis oi the 8o screw-plug carries astout-sliding pin, N, at the eXtreme front of which is a stout head,

N. The portion of the body adjacent to the head N is slightly enlarged.The head N' is adapted to receive the force of the powder at thedischarge. At the moment of the discharge this head moves backward,compress ing "a relatively soft and expansible packingring, M, behindit. Certain portions of this ring will be distinguished, whennecessary,l by ad- 9o ditional marks, as M M2. The body M of thispackiugis of asbestos saturated with tallow, and aords a suicientlyyielding mass with the required capacity forV enduring heat and forwithstanding the very strong com 95 pressive force to which it issubjected bythe discharge. It is inclosed between two thin shells, M M2,of copper, one fitting the body M on the inner and the other on theouter side, and nearly iucasingthe entire packing. Ioo

- gas.

1N, which acts loth the body ill.' and thc copper' M? are then inclosedbetween two strong shells of brass, M M3. The entire packing thus madeis adaptedto maintain its form, `but to allow a small amount of radialexpansion sufficient to pack the joint tightly against the escape ofThis expansion is due to two causesthe tapering form of the front end ofthe pin on the interior of the packing, andthe vpowerful compressionreceived from the head N. The expansion from one or both causes issufficient to press lthe exterior of the copper M2 tightly against theinterior of the gun, thus eectually preventing any leakageA of gas. p

Let us observe the succession of the several movements.. To open thebreech after firing I'proceed as follows: I elevate the cam-lever D intothe position shown in dotted lines in Fig. .1. This brings the head orcam D' outof the mortise g; and I then turn the screw-plug B Ifrom righttoleft about.onesixth of a revolution, the movement being limited by thestop e. (See Figs. 2 and 3.) During this movement the wedge form of thegroove I) acts on the arm H', forcing it out of the groove. rThis causesa partial revolution of the turning catch H on the arm Hz in the mortisea of the'breech.v The screw-plug B is now free to be drawn bodilyoutward; but theA engagement of the arm Hl in the breech compels thedoor G to remain immovable. So soon as the screwplug B is drawn outsuieiently, the mortise bin the screw-plug is presentedv to the arm H',and the catch H, under Ithe influence of the spring T, -turns a littleon its pin hand engages the arm H' in said mortise. This locks thescrew-plug B and the door G firmly together, and by the disengagement ofthe arm H from the mortise c in the breech allows the door G, carryingthe screw-plug B,

, to be turned on the axisF, leaving the breech drawing out thescrew-plug,

. fi'cient to overcome the gun.

entirely open. This positionis represented in dotted lines in Fig. 4. Ifthere be any considerable adhesion of the packing M to the interior ofthe gun,it may be diicultto draw the screw plug endwise. In such case,before I pull downthe lever 1) into the position shown in strongr linesin Fi". 4. This causes the head D to strike on a high part' ofthe doorG, and acts camwise with great force to induce a small eudwise movementof the head N rand packing M suf-- the adhesion. Then the plug may beeasily drawn out by a direct pull, as before described. To close thebreech again after a fresh cartridge is introduced,l operate in thereverse manner. I turn the door G on its axis F, carrying'therewith'thescrew-plug B until thc door is closed againstthe breech of This closingmovement causes the arm H of the turning-catch H to strike theinelinedside u of the recess U, formed in one side formed on the door.

its axis h, and engagesV partially screw-threaded ol' the breecli, andto thereby turnthe catch H against the force ofthe spring T.-Thisturning of the catch H takes the arm H out of the mortise b in thescrew-plug B, and leaves the latter free to be pushed forward. Ithenpush the screw-plug forward'into thegun. Next I turn'the screw-plug fromleft to righta sixth of a revolution, the movement being limited byastop, e', which is a ,shoulder or offset Now| the lever Ddrops by itsgravity, assisted, if necessary, by the force o f the hand, and its camDenters the mortise q in the. door. This makes sure that the closing iscomplete, for .if the screw-plug has not been turned suiciently the headD'of the lever D will not enter the mortise. i y

Modifications may be made in the forms and proportions. Parts of theinvention may be vused without the whole.

I claim as my invention4 l. The partially-threaded plug B, headed pin' NN',extending through said plug, and the yielding packing M, arrangedbetween the head N and the inner end of the plug, in combination witheach other and with the gun A, arranged as shown, to allow'the pin to bedriven rearward and compress the packing, as herein specified.

2.v The locking-ring G,turninglikea door on the hinge F, screw-plug B,and headed pin N N', extending through saidplng, in combination with thepacking M, arranged between the head N andthe inner end of the plug andthe gunA, as herein specified, for the purpose v set forth. v

3. The packing M, havinga tough yielding interior,M', elastic shellsMa'nd rigid shellsM, arranged between the inner end of the screwplug Band inner surface of the head N' of the pin N, in combination with suchpartsB, N, and N', andA he whole arrangedand serving relative 7 to thegun A as and for `the purposes set forth. V

4. The turning-catch H, in combination withV the hinged locking ring ordoor G, gun A., and

,engage its arms alternately with the gun and as herein specified. 4

. 5. The lever D, having'a projection or cam, D', in combination withthe locking ring or door Gr, having a groove, g, and with thepartialthreaded screw-plug B and gun A, asherein specified.

In testimony whereof Ihave hereunto set my hand, at Iaris, France, this28th day of May,

1883, in the presence of two subscribing witlleSSeS..

Vitnesses:

EDWARD I. MACLEAN, EUG. DUBAIL.

plug B, arranged to ""with the screw-plug in the several positions,

